Field of the Technology
The present disclosure relates to techniques for use in transferring an assignment of a secure chip (e.g. an Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card or eUICC) between subscription managers for wireless communication devices (e.g. cellular telephones, smartphones, etc.).
Description of the Related Art
For wireless communication devices, it may be desirable to transfer service subscriptions from one mobile network operator (MNO) to another MNO. The desire may exist, for example, where there is no direct relationship or trust between the different MNOs. The transfer of service subscriptions involves the provisioning of a secure chip of mobile equipment (ME). The secure chip may be one of many different types, such as an eUICC which is not intended to be disconnected from the ME.
It may also be desirable to provide an unlock mechanism so that, when the subscriber of the ME sells or otherwise gives the ME (i.e. with the secure chip) to another, the new owner may provision the secure chip with credentials from an MNO of their choice. Even further, one may wish to provide a (new) network access application (NAA) which provides authorization to the new network to allow an unlocked, but otherwise unprovisioned, secure chip to obtain credentials from the new MNO.
Techniques in these networks and environments may be suitable for use in other similar networks and environments.